A Bubble Bath a Day Bade the Doctor's Stay!
by Kaisterna
Summary: It's another fun day in the public baths Ranma broke the tub again, and Akane's not sure whether Ranma's a perv, or just has the worst luck in the world! One thing's for sure: Somebody's gonna get hurt if they don't stop! Oh, Doctor Tofuuuu...


Ranma #2: Konnichiwa! This is a continuation of # 1, so if you haven't read it, take a step back, okay? The other one is called A Birthday Surprise for One Forgotten. This one includes most of Ranma's and Akane's incidents, and his evil pests (AKA Ryoga, Happosai, and even Tatewaki Kuno!). I'm sure that all the poor, normal people there will never have a bath time experience like this again! laughs I've decided to type up my existing stories, and see if I should continue with a second "series". Opinions are definitely welcome; the closer to a personality I can get, the better my stories will be! I have volleyball practice coming up, so I might not be able to type for awhile…Another thing…GIVE ME STORY IDEAS! I love some of the things that you people come up with! I'll give you credit, too. I'm not begging…Sayonara, for now!

DISCLAIMER: Ha! Me! Own Ranma ½? You must be joking!

"Be careful, you guys! There are a lot of strange people on the streets…" Kasumi waved from the doorway of the Dojo.

"Cool your jets! They'll be fine with me." Nabiki started down the street, looking through the fence into the waterway below.

Akane put on a small leather backpack, hair blowing in the wind, and headed after her sister. She looked at the white ticket clutched in her fingers. "It was so nice of Kasumi to give us each one of her spa tickets."

"Yeah. I certainly wouldn't have given one to a macho chick like you." Ranma put his hands behind his head, and jumped onto the fence.

"Hey!" Akane kicked the wire, and her "fiancé" wobbled slightly, his feet slipping on the pole.

"Whoa…" He jumped off. "But seriously, I thought she'd want to go with a few friends."

"Friends? Have you ever seen any? She has too many to count; she probably doesn't even know half of them." Nabiki turned the corner.

"Hmmm…" Ranma pulled his hat down further over his eyes.

"Kuno-baby at 12 o'clock!" Nabiki stepped out of way as the upperclassman went barreling by.

"Ranma Saotome! Fight me, you heathen! Thou shalt not pass-"

"Good morning, Kuno!" Ranma jumped over him and continued walking. He soon received a whack on the head. "Ouch!"

"You dare to turn your back on me! You do not take me seriously!" He began his hundred swords attack.

Ranma stepped lightly on his face. "Actually…yeah. And don't you ever stop!" he held up two fingers. "I'm busy. See ya."

Catching up to Akane and Nabiki, he glanced back at the teenager who was still lying on the sidewalk. "Is he just stubborn or an idiot?"

"It depends on if you consider them two different things," Nabiki stated wisely.

"How tru-" Suddenly he was doused in cold water. "What the-"

He looked around to see an old woman throwing out her dirty water.

"MY LOVE! THE PIG TAILED ONE!" Kuno came sprinting up the street with open arms.

"Gah!" Ranma ran for it, red pigtail bouncing with every run. "Somebody help! Kuno get a grip!"

"There is no need to run, my beloved!"

"Oh, yes there is!"

"I am here!"

"That's why I'm running!"

"We'll meet you at the baths, alright, Ranma?" Nabiki and Akane waved, and took their time to follow the two shouting specks cris-crossing the street in the distance.

OOOOO

"Aiya!" Shampoo looked up from her dishes. "Ranma date Akane, no Shampoo?"

"It seems so. I saw them walking down the street with Nabiki." Ukyo sipped some oolong tea.

"No bother Ukyo Ranma is on date with girl?" The Amazon warrior dried her hands, staring at her in disbelief.

'Who, me?" Ukyo smiled sweetly while crushing her cup between her fingers. "No, of course not."

"Well, it bother Shampoo! Shampoo ruin work; make Ranma hers!" Images of glorified hugs ran through her mind, and she sighed dreamily.

"Well, we should bring someone for Akane, then. Who-? Oh!" Ukyo whispered in Shampoo's ear, and an evil smile appeared on the girl's face.

"Good plan! Make Ranma Shampoo for sure!"

"No, mine! He is my fiancé, after all. So I take Ranma-honey for myself." She began to spread sauce on her onakoyaki bread that she had brought with her.

"So one-on-one date fu. Is okay?" Shampoo smirked, and pointed a finger at Ukyo.

"Alright. Whoever wins gets a date with Ranma-honey or goes where he was going to go with Akane today." Ukyo leaned on one elbow, her other hand grasping her life sized spatula. "We invite whoever we think would distract Akane."

Getting up form the table, she winked. "See ya!" The cook headed towards the door, and spun a dark object back at the girl.

Shampoo reached up to snatch the whizzing object out of the air, and it nearly broke apart in her fingers. It was a piece of onakoyaki bread, and dribbled in Italian sauce were the words, "I CHALLENGE YOU, SHAMPOO!"

Her eyes narrowed. "Is worthy opponent. Shampoo leave now!"

"Shampoo…" Cologne hopped into the room on her staff.

The girl sighed. "Yes, Great-Grandmother?"

"Before you go _anywhere_, wash those dishes. Unlike some other objects I know, these won't clean themselves!" Cologne pointed to the dirty stack next to the sink.

"GREAT-GRANDMOTHER!" Shampoo put her hands on her hips.

Cologne calmly glanced at her. "Dishes. Then fights. Woe is her who shirks her duties in this household."

"Aiya!" She began scrubbing exasperatedly at the plates. As soon as the last plat hit the rinse water, she took a flying leap out of the restaurant. "Stupid Great-Grandmother. She no realize what ride on this, she muttered, landing on her bike. "No can mess up now!"

Pedaling quickly, she reached a large house and shoved a letter inside its mail box.

"Akane have hard time with this one, is for sure!" With that, Shampoo laughed wildly and headed for mission bathhouse.

OOOOO

Akane and Nabiki entered the bathhouse. The hallway was dark, but it was warm enough to make feel comfortable.

"I'm gonna get us a locker, okay? And if you see Ranma, let me know. Then I'll get one for him, too. But he's gonna have to pay me back in full." Nabiki swung a towel over her shoulder and took out her bulging wallet.

"Erm…it seems like that won't take too much of a dent in your pocket," Akane said, raising an eyebrow. "Can't you just make it a favor?"

"WHAT! I'm about to spend ¥700 on you without asking for a fee, and you're calling me ungenerous?"

"I was talking about Ranma." Akane took off her jacket.

"Well…" Nabiki headed down the hall. "Unless he confesses his undying love and affection for you, he's paying me big bucks. Just wait here."

Akane sighed. Why couldn't she just say no? She stepped aside automatically as Kuno went barreling by yelling, "Akane Tendo!"

"Oh. Upperclassmen. What a surprise." She looked down at Kuno, who was sprawled on the floor, due to a hard impact between him and the metal door.

"Indeed! To meet the love of my life in such a place!"

He squeezed her tightly, tears of joy streaming out of his eyes. The upperclassman was soon rewarded for his efforts by being kicked out the door. She locked it, just in case. You just never knew when lunatics could attack.

"Psst, Akane! A little help!"

Akane whipped around to see…an empty hallway. But that voice was awfully familiar…

"Ranma?"

"Who else, you dork! Here me out of here!" There was a muffled banging on the storage door to her right. Padding over, she unlocked the door to see a red-head hiding in a corner with her hands over her head, balancing a bucket that seemed to have fallen form a shelf.

"What are you doing?" Akane leaned on the door as Ranma began to untangle herself.

"I'm doing this for fun because I felt like it." She stretched out, her joints creaking.

"Hiding from Kuno would e more appropriate." Akane straightened the towel splayed over her shoulder. "There's nothing to be afraid of, really."

Ranma snorted. "Who would be scared of a jerk like him? He just never gets up, does he? Just once, I would give anything to-"

"Akane Tendo, my love! Someone has locked the door!"

There was a faint rattling as Kuno tried to open the door unsuccessfully. "Never fear! I will open it for you!"

"Quick!" Ranma pulled Akane inside the closet and slammed the door shut just as Kuno burst in, swinging his sword.

"Akane Tendo?" He looked around. "Where-ah ha!" He lifted up the towel lying haphazardly across the hall. "You were kidnapped! Ranma Saotome's work, no doubt!" he smashed his sword through a door to his right. "He shall not go unpunished!"

Kun o stormed down the hall, waving his bakuto and yelling Ranma's name at frenzied intervals.

Akane breathed heavily, having close dangerously close to having a hole through her neck. Ranma looked at her, smirking and yet trying not to laugh.

"You were saying something?"

Akane peeled herself off of the wall and glared in the direction of her fiancé's darkened form. "Shut _up_, Ranma. I'm not the one _hiding_ form Kuno, remember?"

Suddenly the doorknob clicked, unlocking from the outside, and slowly began to turn.

Akane froze. "What-?"

Ranma sunk down against the floor. "Better not be Kuno or I'm-"

The door slowly creaked, and it seemed like an eternity before it opened. A black silhouette was outlined against the light of the doorway.

The two teens shielded themselves from the sudden brightness. "Ah!"

The formless shape moved forward, and…

"What are you two doing in here! I wasn't gone that long, you know." Nabiki peered in at them suspiciously, holding two orange keys in her hands.

"Nabiki!" Akane sounded relieved.

"How'd you find-?" Ranma straightened up, stretching out his back.

"Oh, it took hard work and superior deducting skills," Nabiki said airily, flapping a hand at them. "Yelling, big holes through the door, Akane missing, you know…"

"Heh heh. Oh, I knew that." The red-head looked nonchalantly past her into the hall.

"Did something happen?" Nabiki stood back to reexamine her surroundings.

"Nope-all good!" Ranma bounded out onto the blue-tiled floor.

Akane stumbled out over buckets and brooms. _Ranma…why can't you just be normal for once!"_

_OOOOO_

"Ahh, this is so nice!" Akane leaned back in the spa, letting herself go just enough to enough the hot water bubbling in the cream colored bath.

"Yeah; too bad Kasumi isn't here…" Nabiki grabbed a towel for her hair and began to pat it dry.

"I wonder how Ranma's doing? It's not too fun when you're alone…" Akane stared at the sky.

"Are you worried he's lonely? Why don't you go check on him?" Nabiki suggested slyly, fixing the strap of the green bathing suit.

Akane closed her eyes in disgust and dumped a bucket of water on her sister's head. "Yeah, as soon as Cologne comes to the baths."

A clacking sound echoed on the hard floor, and Shampoo's great-grandmother came over. "Have you seen Shampoo? She said that she was here…"

"Nope! But I'd guess she's in the locker rooms," Nabiki said, lowering her black sunglasses on her nose.

Akane stared, mouthing noiselessly.

"Oh, well…if you see her…" Cologne hopped off.

Nabiki turned to face Akane with raised eyebrows. "I guess you're going to check on Ranma, then?"

Akane stared into space for a moment, then put her face in the water.

_Reminder to self: Ne careful of what you say. Be careful…_

OOOOO

**MEANWHILE, IN THE MEN'S SPA…**

Sigh. How boring. By yourself, staring off into the depths of the wall opposite you (did it have that much depth?), and thinking about…well…nothing. Ranma groaned. He almost wished Ryoga was here…

"Ranma Saotome! Take this, you scoundrel!" Kuno jumped out of nowhere, and did a cannonball into the spa.

Most of the men in the spa took this as a sign to leave while they were still alive and hit the showers, evacuating the room. Others watched interestedly. Ranma had become an interesting attraction here.

"Yaah!" Ranma's hair stood on end. "Kuno!"

"How dare you kidnap Miss Akane Tendo! You fiend!" Where the heck did you come from!" Ranma scrambled out of the spa, tying a towel around his waist and running for it.

"Come back here, you dog! Knave!" Kuno chased him, clothes dripping wet.

" I don't wanna deal with you! Why are you here, anyway!" Ranma turned around and stood in a defensive stance. Kuno swung his sword around, making Ranma duck. He stood, resting his foot once more on Kuno's face.

"First of all, answer my question-why are you here?"

Kuno carefully removed Ranma's foot. "The pig-tailed girl was here."

"And she's not anymore. So go home."

"I shall not! For she has invited me here to the spas today, and she shall not be disappointed!"

"Whaa-?" Ranma stared at him disbelievingly. "I never invited you-"

"Not you, wretch! The pig-tailed goddess! Here!" Kuno shoved a letter in his face.

My beloved Kuno,

Please meet me at the spas today

At 2:00 pm. I'll be waiting, so no

Disappoint!

Your pig-tailed one!

"Daa!" He reread it, then glared at Kuno. "My-her grammar skills aren't that bad!"

_Wait a moment._

Ranma read it again:

'_I'll be waiting, so no disappoint!'_

Crumpling it up in his fist, he looked around. What was she up to!

Tears filled Kuno's eyes. His precious letter was being abused!

"Give it back, if you should so harm it!" Kuno whacked Ranma on the head. The pig-tailed boy absent-mindedly punched backwards while rereading the letter for a fourth time. Why not Akane? Why him? Shampoo was hatching a plan, and he didn't like it.

"You dare to-"

Ranma booted him out of the room, slipping on his pants and other clothing. "Give a rest, will you!" He swung his shirt over his shoulder and pulled on his hat. "This is ridiculous. I'm going home."

As he was walking, he slipped on a bar of soap…and landed on his face.

OOOOO

"Hmm." The umbrella twirled in the boy's outstretched hand. "A letter for me?" He ripped open the envelope, and as he began to read its contents, his face turned red. Ryoga sighed tearfully, biting his lower lip.

"Akane? A-asking me? On a date to the spas? Oh, this is too good to be true!" Skipping back into the house, he slammed the door and read it again, laughing insanely.

My Ryoga,

Would you like to come to the

Spas with me today? It would

Be nice to see you again. Meet

Me in the men's baths at 2:00pm.

------Love, Akane

"Well, no problem! I'll just check the clock and-" he gasped, his jaw dropping to the floor. "1:58! It might take me forever to get there!" He let out a sigh of frustration. "I can't disappoint her, though! I'm coming, Akane!" Ryoga streaked out of the house, totally forgetting his bath supplies.

Ukyo watched him go by, smirking slightly behind her hands. _Sorry, Ryoga, but his is important!_ She ran over houses, swinging her spatula over her shoulder and whistling happily to herself.

_Ranma-honey, here I come!_

OOOOO

"Let's see…If I take fifteen steps this way…"

Ranma lifted his head in time to have it immediately squashed into the tile again.

"Hmm?" Ryoga looked down as his feet stepped on something soft, yet hard. Black pigtail, Chinese clothes (well, pants, anyway?)-

"Ranma? Well, well, well, what are you doing taking a nap in the middle of the floor?"

"An oi ak ooh stoe yor bain!" Ranma turned his head to the side. "Get off of me, pig! What are you, of all people, doing here too!"

"Why? Am I not allowed to be here? This is a public spa and bath and pool, Ranma."

"As if I hadn't noticed!" He stood up and glared at Ryoga. "I don't think it's a coincidence that both you and Kuno are here at the same time!"

"What! Kuno!" He frowned, trying to remember. "That big clod that waves a sword around and wears strange clothes?"

"No, the lady down the street. Who else, pork brain!"

Ryoga pointed a finger at Ranma. "Today, your jabs and snide remarks towards my conscious will have no effect on me, Ranma! For today I have finally won Akane's heart!" He pulled out a letter.

"Let me see that." Ranma jumped on Ryoga's shoulders, snatching the letter.

"And where do you think…you're sitting, fool!" Ryoga flipped him into the air with his umbrella.

Ranma rolled into an upright position and read it aloud.

"…Meet me in the men's baths at 2:00pm." He tossed it back to Ryoga. "Sorry to disappoint, but it's probably another fake."

Ryoga glared defiantly at him. "No, I'm sure about this! It was mailed from the Tendo Dojo, along with a ticket and her signature!"

"What! You're-" He glanced at the letter. It was Akane's signature-form the Dojo the day before. Ranma sweat dropped. He felt something stir in his chest.

"NOT JOKING. But…but…there's no way she'd invite a loser that always gets lost-"

Ryoga elbowed him in the face, taking back his letter. "Now, now, just because you weren't invited by Akane, and never have been-" Ranma felt the stab of an insult that had hit its mark- "doesn't mean that you're going to ruin my date!" he laughed as Ranma sat there simmering.

_Akane, you idiot! Why!_

OOOOO

"Neow, mewr!" Shampoo padded into the spa, sneaking along the edge of the hallway. _Must find Ranma, then worry about Akane. Is important to find Kuno, too. Should is here, yes?_

"Why hello, kitty. 'Fraid no pets allowed in here, though you're a _cute_ little thing!" An elderly clerk picked her up and deposited her outside. "Now be good, ya hear?" She gave Shampoo a pat on the head and went inside, closing the door.

"Meow!" She ran over, pawing at the door. _No good! Need hot water fast!_

Slinking around the corner, she found a tiny window that was open and squeezed inside.

"**_GYAAAHHHHHHHH!_**" A terrified yell echoed all the way outside.

"Ranma!" Shampoo said cheerfully, after splashing some tap water over her head.

"Sh-Sh-Sh-Shampoo…" Ranma was cowering in a corner, hands over his head.

"Yes?" She skipped over, squatting down next to Ranma after she put on her dress.

"Don't ever do that again. Second thing…this is a men's bathroom."

"Is near lockers then! Found right place!" Shampoo clapped her hands delightedly.

"I don't think you're getting the point. Doors, Shampoo?" Ranma headed into the hall.

Shampoo frowned. "What you talk about? No let in cat! Lock door, find window, Ranma here!"

"Nevermind. Why did you right a note to Kuno from me?"

"What you talk about? Shampoo come to Ranma, no write note. Who Kuno?" She glanced at him innocently.

"Stop playing innocent-"

Akane booted him into the air from behind. "YOU SLEAZE! WE THOUGHT YOU WERE IN THE SPA, NOT FLIRTING WITH-" She looked at the girl who was staring through the hole in the roof.

"Oh. Shampoo. How nice of you to come for Ranma."

Ranma fell back through the roof.

"Akane! It's not what you think! I-"

She whacked him with a mallet. "Save it for someone who cares! Come on, Nabiki, let's go." They headed for the pool.

Ranma made faces at their backs. "Macho chick! Built like a brick!" A shoe hit him in the head as Akane turned the corner.

"Shampoo come back for Ranma! Is okay?" Shampoo jogged down the hall in the opposite direction.

The hall was silent.

"DOES ANYONE CARE I JUST GOT HIT! AKANE, YOU MORON!"

A clipboard was chucked at him by a passing clerk, making him fall over. "Silent in the halls!"

Ranma stood back up, engulfed in flames of pride. "Hohohoho!" _Oh, Akane! I can't wait to pay you back for this!_

OOOOO

"Hmmph." Akane sat on the pool steps, watching little kids swim by on rubber floaties. _Ranma's always with Shampoo or Ukyo. I understand that Ukyo and Ranma share a lifelong friendship that I can never compete with, but Shampoo?_

Flicking her fingers through the water, she sighed. _I don't care what he says-I definitely can't trust him. See if I help him out of a bad situation next time!_

She glared at the door of the pool area.

"Are you okay, Akane?" Nabiki looked sideway at her, taking a sip of her lemonade. "You've got this evil look on your face…"

"Oh…it's nothing." Her younger sister glanced back at the water…and stared, frowning as she recognized a black pigtail bobbing on the surface.

"Maybe he thinks you won't see him if he wears those bright green goggles." Nabiki raised her eyebrows.

"….." Akane watched them start by.

"If we sit still enough, maybe he'll think its working."

"Oh, please!" She tapped on finger onto the top of the snorkel end that was sticking out of the water.

"….."

Ranma burst up through the surface, scaring away a few little kids. "Hak hak hak! You tryin' to kill me!" Suddenly he realized that he had been discovered. "Er…"

Akane folded her arms across her chest. "Would you like to explain what you were doing, exactly?"

"I'm swimming! You know: pool, water, goggles…?"

She bopped him on the head. "I'm not completely STUPID. What kind of an idiot are you, to think that I'd believe something like that!"

Nabiki watched calmly. This could turn out to be interesting.

"Listen you-"

"I don't think so! You listen to me, for once!" Akane was fuming.

"Eep."

" Why is _SHAMPOO_ here? How about Kuno! And-"

"What about your date with Ryoga, eh? Explain that one, miss I'm-so-innocent!" Ranma put his hands on his hips and titled his head, eyes narrowed.

"-how about-eh?" Akane blinked. "What're you-?"

"Oh, Akane!" Ryoga poked his head through the door, waving his hand. "there you are! T-thank y-you for i-in-viting me…"

"What?" Akane blinked, then looked at Ranma. "Did you and Shampoo set this up?"

"DO YOU THINK I'D BE MAD IF I DID, YOU MORON!" Ranma was slightly irked, then sniffed. "Don't you have a date to go to?"

"But I didn't-"

"See ya!" Ranma stroked backwards as fast as he could, so that Ryoga's anger would not be further provoked. And to simmer down. He sunk beneath the surface, sitting cross-legged, and glowered at a water toy that had the misfortune to be in front of his face.

_So she'll invite Ryoga before me, eh? Well, let's see what happens when his cousin comes along! Ohohohohoho!_

He jumped out of the pool, and he headed for his locker.

_I swear upon my skills as a master of romance that she won't get away with this!_

He laughed insanely, balling his hands into fists. _Get ready, people! The worst is yet to come!_

OOOOO

"So what do you want to do?" Ryoga blushed, twiddling his thumbs.

Akane coughed. "Well, you see, Ryoga-"

He flapped a hand at her. "No need to explain! I feel honored to have been asked out by you…"

_That's what they all say… _"Poor Ryoga." Akane muttered.

"…and I knew that soon you would _finally_ see Ranma's true nature, and not be fooled by his smart talk-"

"….." _Smart talk? Stupid, more like. His mouth is what usually gets him into trouble, along with his swelled head!_

"-so what more is there to say?" He looked at her proudly, finally feeling as if he had said the right thing.

"Nothing. Let's go have an ice cream, shall we?" Akane pushed him towards the café, frowning slightly. Until she figures out the whole intent behind this mess of a scheme, it looked like she would have to play along. _Poor Ryoga…having dragged him into something like this…" _Her eyes narrowed. _Well, then! I'll make it so that Ranma learns his lesson!_

OOOOO

**AT THE CAFÉ…**

The waitress brought two island sundaes over to the polished table.

"Here's a pineapple fudge for you, sir, and a Caribbean mint float."

"Thank you." Akane pulled hers forward, taking a sip. There was a few moments silence, where the tinkling of glasses and laughter could be heard. She gazed out the window, which had a tiny lawn outside of it, along with a fountain. The woods came, some parts flooded with light; others shrouded in darkness.

"W-well, this is nice…" Ryoga finished the last spoonfuls of his ice cream. Akane came back to reality with a jerk.

She smiled brightly. "Oh, yes. Quite…" They sat there for a few moments, thinking of what to say. Or at least in Akane's case.

_Finally, a date with Akane…no interruptions, this is it! The gods are smiling upon me! Akane sitting there like an angel…I must say it; I must tell her before the moment is lost!_

He moved his cup aside. "Akane…there's something I've been wanting to tell you for awhile now…"

"Yes?" She leaned forwards, her eyes wide and curious.

That's where…Ryoga lost it. "W-well, I-I-I-"

"Huh?" Akane blinked.

Suddenly, something cold, wet and chocolatety fell into his lap.

"Oh. My. God. I'm so sorry!" A girl of seventeen (or so it seemed) tired to clean up the mess she had made on the floor. "I apologize! I can be so clumsy…" Green eyes looked up at Ryoga through long, straight black hair, and they noticeably widened when they absorbed his features. She shrieked delightedly. "Ryoga-chan!"

Akane, who was on the other side of the table, only saw a yellow hair ribbon and hair that went down to her hips. She looked suspiciously around her float, and stared at the girls back.

"I've waited sooo long to find you!" The girl hugged him tightly, purring slightly.

"Eh? Who the heck are you!" Ryoga turned red. "Ranma…"

"Hmmm? No, no; my name is Rainomka!" She stepped back and gasped, her bright eyes filling with tears. "Don't you remember me!"

Ryoga looked her over: Black capris, high black sandals, yellow tank top, light freckles. It couldn't be Ranma…

"Am I supposed to?" He looked at her worriedly.

"Don't you REMEMBER? WE spent a whole year together at my house when you when you were 6 and I was 7!" She sniffed slightly.

"Erm…no."

"Ah, well." Rainomka pulled up a chair, sighing slightly. "I wouldn't expect you to, but I was pretty hopeful, I'll admit."

Akane coughed slightly, then stared defiantly at the girl as she glanced at her.

"Oh my! I'm so sorry! What's your name?" Rainomka looked wide-eyed at her.

"Akane Tendo, and you just interrupted Ryoga here." Akane sipped her drink, watching her closely.

"Oh no! Please forgive me and continue, Roy-chan, I'm afraid I need to work on my social skills…"

Nope. No way could this be Ranma. He'd NEVER admit something like that. Plus, he DEFINITELY wasn't this mature.

"Well…" Ryoga dropped his spoon. "It doesn't matter." He grasped Rainomka's hands. "We you really looking for me this whole time!"

"Tee hee! Of course I was! You're my cousin, after all, and I haven't seen you in years!" She smiled brightly.

Akane coughed. _Please , gag me._

"I bet it took you years!" He sniffed, then gave her a back-breaking hug.

"Oh-ouch-a few-"

"Er, Ryoga? Might want to loosen your grip a little." Akane pointed to Rainomka's face, which was slowly turning blue.

"Oh. Yes." He released her. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, no problem, no problem! I'm the same way."

Akane coughed again. "Well, I'm heading back to the baths."

Ryoga opened his mouth to protest. Akane held up a hand. "I think that you should take a little time to get to know your cousin better. Besides, you haven't seen her in awhile, right?"

"Oh…thank you, Akane! You're so kind!" Ryoga immediately began talking to Rainomka, seeming to forget his "date" for the moment.

She snuck towards the door. For a moment, she was sire that she has seen Ranma's "I-dying-please-help-me" look. But…maybe it was just a trick of the light? Akane glanced back in time to see Rainomka sneer in her direction, then laugh at something funny Ryoga had just said. Akane bristled as she walked down the hall.

_Hmmpf. Well, in that case, I think I'll find out who that girl really is!_


End file.
